A build-up of moisture in your home can cause damp and mould problems and could affect your health.
Condensation is a common problem caused when moist, warm air meets a cold surface like a window or external wall. Dampness caused by too much condensation can lead to mould growth on walls, ceilings and furniture.
Mould spores can irritate your throat and lead to serious permanent damage to your lungs. They can also lead to children developing asthma.
If mould starts to grow on your walls, clean it with an anti-mould cleaner or anti-fungal wash. You will then need to address the cause of the dampness that led to the mould growing. We have listed some tips below to help with this.
- A guide to managing condensation and mould in your home [PDF, 0.4MB]
- A guide to managing condensation and mould in your new-build home [PDF, 0.1MB]
Contact us if you'd like to request copies of these documents in alternative formats, including larger print or 'easy read' versions. We may also be able to provide the content in other languages or in braille format.
Take the UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings’ quiz: find out what factors might be contributing to your home’s moisture levels being out of balance.
Dealing with damp and mould: Support for landlords
The Cambridgeshire Countywide Landlord Forum is running an event to help landlords deal with damp and mould in rented properties.
- 13 January 2025, 1 to 5pm at The Maltings, Ship Lane, Ely CB7 4BB
The event will feature presentations and question and answer sessions. Light refreshments will be provided. Contact ProjectResidential@cambridge.gov.uk by 5pm on 9 January to reserve your place.
Report damp in your council home
If you are a council tenant or leaseholder and are affected by condensation, damp or mould in your home, use this form to tell us about it. We’ll ask you to describe how the damp is affecting each room and upload photos of it.
If you need help to complete this form, contact us on the telephone number below.
We will contact you within two working days of receiving your form to confirm what we can do to help.
Contact us by email if you have previously reported the issue and need to contact us with new information – do not submit the form again. Include your reference number so we can update your case details.
Tenants in private-rented accommodation
If you are a private tenant, report condensation, damp or mould to your landlord – do not use this form. Contact us if your landlord is unable to resolve the problem.
Support available
Heating bill help
For support with your heating bills, to help keep your home between 18 and 21 degrees, tenants and homeowners alike can visit our energy bill help page.
This includes information about discounts, grants, recurring vouchers, emergency vouchers and much more to help everyone who is finding it difficult to afford heating bills this winter.
Council tenants
If you are a council tenant and you can't stop mould growing, contact us using the email address at the bottom of this page. If you are able to take any photographs of the area where the concern is, please send them to us.
If possible, please include all photos in one email and make sure that the property address is referenced with the photos, as well as information about which room the photos relate to.
We can visit your home to help identify and resolve the problem.
Private tenants
If you are a private tenant, including Housing Association tenants, you should report damp or mould to your landlord.
Contact us if your landlord is unable to resolve these concerns. We can support you in making a housing complaint.
Reduce condensation and increase ventilation
Two people showering, cooking and washing the dishes every day can add about 50 litres of moisture to the air in a week.
Reduce condensation
Anything you can do to reduce the amount of moisture you add to the air will help to reduce condensation. For example, you could:
- dry your windows and sills every morning and keep surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom dry. Wring out the cloth rather than drying it on a radiator
- hang your washing outside to dry if possible. Or hang it in the bathroom with the door closed and a window open or extractor fan on
- cook with pan lids on and the extractor fan on. Use only as much water as you need to cover vegetables, and turn down the heat when the water has boiled
- reduce steam when having a bath by running the cold water first and then adding the hot
- make sure your tumble drier has a vent that connects to the outside, if it is not a condenser model
Increase ventilation
You can also try to increase ventilation in your home, to let the moist air circulate and escape outside. You could:
- open windows and vents whenever possible to allow air to circulate, especially when cooking or washing up
- use an extractor fan or open a bathroom window for about 20 minutes after showering or bathing
- leave your bedroom window open at night, even if only slightly
- keep the kitchen and bathroom doors closed so moisture cannot escape into the rest of the house
- keep a small gap between large furniture and the wall, and where possible place it against an internal wall
Warm air holds more moisture than cool air – the warmer it is, the more it can hold, meaning less condensation. It’s better to keep a medium temperature throughout your home than to heat one room to a high temperature.
If you can, improve your home’s insulation and draught proofing to keep surfaces warmer. This can also help to reduce your fuel bills.
